24 | County Trans Nzoia > Guards beat up journalists covering demo BY PHILIP BWAYO Four Kitale-based journalists are nursing injuries after they were beaten up by the county government’s security guards as they were covering protests against alleged corruption by officials. Mr Dancan Waswa (Imani TV), Mr Leonard Wamalwa (West TV), Mr Saka Richard (Milele FM) and Mr David Musundi (Royal Media Services) also had their cameras and recorders vandalised. Erase footage Trouble began when the demon- strators were barred by the guards from entering Governor Patrick Khaemba’s office to issue him with a petition on corruption. The guards then turned the heat on the journalists. “I was recording the events when I was suddenly beaten with a rungu on my leg and shoulder. I was ordered to erase the footage” said Mr Waswa. The other three journalists were attacked as they attempted to rescue Mr Waswa. Nakuru | Drama as Mbugua ejects his senator’s PA from the meeting Senators draft Bill to classify roads afresh, end confusion Committee says this will distinguish which roads are under State, those under counties BY WANJIRU MACHARIA lwmacharia@ke.nationmedia.com ones should be managed by the national government. However, this is bound to change if F a new Bill seeking to reclassify roads succeeds. The Senate Committee on Roads and Transport says the Bill would end blame games between counties and the government over management of roads. The confusion is between counties and the agencies, including the Kenya National Highways Authority, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority. or a long time now, confusion has reigned over which roads are under counties and which ‘‘ Counties face many challenges constructing and maintaining roads due to the confusion,” Chris Obure, Kisii Senator Committee members, who spoke in Nakuru yesterday where they paid a courtesy call on Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, said only proper classification of roads would solve the problem. Chairman Chris Obure said gov- ernors have a hard time explaining which of the roads are under them. “The public does not know which roads are under counties and which ones are supposed to be managed by the government. That is why counties are wrongfully blamed for the poor state of some roads” said Mr Obure. Uasin Gishu | Students count their losses after fire razes dormitory Students at Chebisaas Boys High School in Eldoret Town rummage through their be- longings after a fire burnt down their dormitory yesterday. No one was injured during the 5.30am incident as the students had gone to class for morning preps. The dormitory housed 128 students and the cause of the fire could not be imme- diately established. JARED NYATAYA | NATION “Counties face many challenges constructing and maintaining roads because of this confusion,” said Mr Obure. He was accompanied by senators Kimani Wa Matangi (Kiambu), Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay) and Liz Chelule (nominated). “We will compile a report on the challenges to road management after our tour of the country,” he added. Meanwhile, Mr Mgugua ejected Nakuru Senator James Munga’s personal assistant Joseph Omondi from the meeting. Mr Omondi said he was representing his boss, but Mr Mbugua would have none of it. DAILY NATION Wednesday June 10, 2015 Uasin Gishu > 7 governors meet over plan to form regional bloc BY STANLEY KIMUGE Governors from the North Rift region were locked up in a meeting in Eldoret yesterday night to craft plans on forming an economic bloc. Problems facing farmers were also expected to be discussed in the governor’s dinner at the Boma Inn. The governors are from Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot and Turkana. On Monday, two governors from the North Rift grain basket blamed some cartels for causing artificial shortages of top dressing fertiliser. Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said that he had information implicating some brokers and the National Cereals Produce and Board and warned that public officers found guilty will be prosecuted. Brokers collussion “There are some farmers who col- lect the fertilisers using the names of their children and relatives. How can you receive 200 bags of subsided fertiliser for 10 acres?” said Mr Mandago. The county boss, who spoke during a consultative forum with farmers from the North Rift region in Eldoret, said farmers were experiencing shortages due to the unscrupulous dealers. His Elgeyo-Marakwet counter- part, Governor Alex Tolgos, said some brokers were colluding to fleece the suffering farmers. “Some officers from the cereals board are colluding with these people to charge high prices in the market,” said Mr Tolgos. The North Rift NCPB regional manager John Marindich said the cereals board would give 65,000 bags of fertiliser meant for sugarcane farmers to maize growers to curb the shortage. Mr Kipkorir Menjo, a director Kitui > MPs threaten to forcefully take bodies from morgue BY KITAVI MUTUA Two MPs have claimed that the bodies of the victims of last week’s bandit attack have been detained in a county mortuary over unpaid fees. Mr John Munuve (Mwingi North) and Mr Mutua Muluvi (Kitui East) claimed the Mwingi Hospital mortuary had refused to release the bodies to the bereaved families for burial, demanding Sh17,000 first. They threatened to storm the mortuary and take away the bodies for burial without paying if Governor Julius Malombe did not waive the charges. “The mortuary authorities have turned away the poor grieving families on the instructions of the county minister for Health, Ruth Koki. This is unacceptable and we demand the bodies be released immediately,” said Mr Munuve, who was speaking during a burial in Ukasi. And Mr Muluvi claimed Kitui Dis- trict Hospital had detained a survivor of the bandit attack, who sustained gunshot injuries, after he failed to pay his medical bill. However, Governor Malombe ac- cused the MPs of playing to the public gallery and inciting people against his administration over issues they could discuss as leaders. He said he was not aware that such charges had been imposed on the grieving families, and ordered that the bodies be released for burial. Kiambu > Kabogo finally drops hint on moving his office from Thika BY ERIC WAINAINA Governor William Kabogo said the county headquarters would soon be moved to Kiambu from Thika Town, in what may end a long-standing row. Yesterday, he hosted members of the East Africa Legislative Assembly, who paid him a courtesy call in Kiambu. The lawmakers were attending a leadership forum at Thayu Farm in Limuru. The Kiambu offices have been under renovation for the past two years. Mr Kabogo (below, left) declined to occupy his office, citing its poor state. Kiambu is gazetted as the coun- ty’s headquarters, but the governor refused to use the defunct Kiambu Municipal Council offices. The six-month deadline Mr Kabogo requested to renovate the building elapsed in October 2013. MPs Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete), Alice N’gan’ga (Thika) and Jude Njomo (Kiambu Town) gave the governor until the end of this month to move or get impeached. at the Kenya Farmers Association, complained about the scarcity of the top dressing fertilisers, warning that it could lead to low yields. BRIEFLY Kakamega > Women eyeing county tenders to get loans Women entrepreneurs will be given loans to enable them to win tenders in Kakamega County. The Women Enterprise Fund has introduced a new facility that would provide financial support to entrepreneurs who cannot participate in government procurement due to lack of money. The directors of the fund, Ms Francisca Auma and Ms Elizabeth Mayieka, said the Local Purchase Order would ensure 30 per cent of government tenders go to women. — Benson Amadala